Only one date and Tina’s life had changed ... just one miserable, frightening date.

Her best friend Stacy, had a heart that was like a dry sponge for other people’s pain. Now that heart would be useful. What a pair of bleeding hearts they were about to become!

As Stacy sat in the comfortable maroon arm chair, her eyes filled with heavy tears for her weeping, long time friend Tina Wells. Tina had recently made the costly mistake of dating the infantile son of Fall county’s BINGO king, Austin Caleb Templeton. Now, Tina could not BINGO in any BINGO hall anywhere in the county.

Without BINGO, how would she spend her free time?

Stacy sighed and shifted her weight in the comfortable arm chair. She could see Tina’s mind was somewhere else, and frankly, so was hers. "That bastard," she thought.

When Justin Templeton asked Tina to go out, her heart leaped with delight. Justin was well-groomed and handsome and he drove a silver 2004 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish sports car. It wasn’t the wealth that attracted Tina to Justin. It was the cool way he looked at her. Fortunately, Tina, now 29, had never had a man look at her that way. Soon she found out why. He was a greedy, conceited octopus and bully.

Tina had moved to Camp Axton, a scenic small town, to be near her aging parents. For years, Tina had lived in Chicago with her husband until his death in a terrible airplane accident. Life until that point had been an unbelievable fairy tale. She had completed medical school in the top ten percent of her class at the age of 24. For five years she had worked at Mason’s Family Clinic in a prestigious neighborhood in the Windy City. Her husband, a golf professional, was at the top of his game and was making great money. She had a close knit group of college and special friends within easy reach. All was well then.

Now, all that was behind her. She had her parents and Stacy. Stacy had worked in the Mason’s Family Clinic with Tina as a nurse receptionist. They had become best friends and considered each other sisters. She had moved with Tina to Camp Axton to get away from her abuse boyfriend.

The workers in the BINGO halls, once her friends, never looked her in the eyes anymore. They seldom spoke and were distant and cold. It was as though they were mad at her or at least, afraid of her somehow. Something had changed, something terrible. She was being taught a lesson and cheated at BINGO.

"Why don’t you call the BINGO Commission and state lottery folks and report the outrageous cheating?" asked Stacy suddenly. "Surely they will listen."

"I did," said Tina dismally.

Stacy could tell from the hopeless tone in her friend’s voice that it was hopeless.

"They want dates, times, locations, personnel involved, and methods of heating," continue Tina. "They were very condescendingly pleasant on the phone. Basically, they wanted me to provide the proof."

"Sure," replied Stacy in a raspy tone. "They get the proof, and you get the shaft!"

It was early Autumn outside and there was a certain refreshing chill in the picturesque town. Despite all its brilliance, Camp Axton was not Chi Town to Stacy. It was just so damn slow here. She recalled thinking once, if she just listened close enough she could hear her own heart beating. She just couldn't get over that sound - silence. Besides, she was getting a somewhat questionable reputation. She had been through three whole lovers since moving to Camp Axton a year ago. Her reputation and dating habits were beginning to become a favorite town’s gossip topic.. She smiled as she remembered going through three boyfriends in one month in Chicago. "Different town, different people, different values - or were they?" she pondered.

Suddenly, Stacy Ann March had a brilliant but risky thought. No, she didn’t dare. Yes she did, no she couldn’t. It would be too dangerous to try, besides, she could get into great trouble - fatal trouble.

"Tina, I need tomorrow off."

"What underhanded and risky thing are you planning?" asked Tina a little anxious.

Now, Tina was worried. She had never seen her friend smile so slyly, and that glimmer in her eyes was frightful. What on earth was her friend planning.

Two days later, Stacy called Tina to inform her that she would be at work the next morning. She was beaming with excitement but would not give her secret away. At work, Stacy closed the door to Tina’s office and asked her to go to BINGO every night for the next two weeks. Finally, Tina gave in to her friend’s wishes. Tina trusted Stacy completely. She knew her friend would never knowingly do anything to hurt her.

The next two weeks were pure hell for Tina and Stacy. Every BINGO session was pure hell. Once or twice though, Tina could have sworn she saw her friend smiling at some of the shenanigans of the BINGO staff. Most people can’t imagine how a person feels who is being cheated, shunned, and humiliated in this manner. Most people have no idea how degrading it is to be robbed by people who you once like and even associated with in various social settings.

After, the last session, Stacy asked that Tina not go to any BINGO sessions until she told her it was OK. Tina was mystified. Why wouldn’t Stacy confide in her? What was she doing? Would they get in trouble with Austin Templeton or the town‘s people?

One week later, Stacy announced, "We’re going to BINGO tonight."

"No, we are not," insisted Tina. "I just can’t go there and be humiliated again."

"I promise I’ll never ask you to go again if you are humiliated."

After two hours of persuasion, Tina finally agreed to go to BINGO. At BINGO, Tina BINGO-ed three times - twice for the house maximum prizes.

"Ok, who are you blackmailing?" insisted Tina noticing the twinkle in Stacy’s eyes.

"Do you remember the young man who came into the clinic about two years ago with a gunshot wound to the stomach?" quizzed Stacy.

For a few minutes Tina remembered.

"Sure, I think so," said Tina unsure. "I remember he was in a lot of pain and had a critical wound. I believe I stabilized him."

"Yeah, do you remember what he said to you as he left for the hospital?" asked Stacy.

"He said if there was anything I wanted just call Johnny Barlioni."

"Do you know who Johnny Barlioni is?

"No, who?"

"He is the son of Carlos Barlioni one of Chicago’s most important mobsters."

"No way," insisted Tina.

"Yes, way," smiled Stacy busting with pride.

"What on God’s green earth did you do?"

"I went to the Barlioni mansion and asked Johnny to speak to his father."

"Did you see his father?" asked Tina excited now.

"Yes, Johnny escorted me into his office after a lady searched me."

"When I got there, I realized, crime does pay. They had imported carpets and paintings. All the furnishings were warm and friendly, almost subtle in there elegance. And girl, I’m in love!"

"Love?"

"Yeah, girl!" swooned Stacy in lust. "Mr. Barlioni is a pretty man!"

"Pretty man?" inquired Tina just as Stacy pulled out a photograph of herself, Johnny, and Carlos Barlioni.

"He sent you a note."

The first line of the note said, "Thank you Tina for the life of my son." The second line said, "Anything you want, any time, any place …" and it was signed, Carlos.

"Well, are you going to tell me how they stopped the cheating? Demanded Tina dying to know.

"Sure, do you remember the pretty lady that looked like a model? She always sat across from you and smiled at you. Remember, you said she was hitting on you?"

"Yes, she sure seemed out of place there," admitted Tina.

"She was," continue Stacy. "Actually, she was a close associate of Carlos Barlioni. She had a hidden miniature camera in that fancy necklace she was wearing. There was another lady sitting directly in from of the caller wearing another camera. They recorded the caller taking certain balls out of the machine and looking at his computer monitor. He was actually pulling your card up on the monitor and removing some of your balls. Hell, everyone sitting in from of him saw him do it. Carlos sent a copy of the tape to Austin Templeton and demanded that he fly to Chicago. Of course, Austin did and when he got there, Carlos made him an offer he couldn’t refuse."

Copyright .Jimmy L. Holder (ShyPoet1) and may not be reproduced without permission.